A new statewide poll suggests that two-thirds of Illinois voters support a broad government-run insurance option as part of any health care reform effort and want to see Democrats push it through Congress -- with or without Republican votes.  The survey was conducted February 16-17 by Research 2000 and sponsored by a coalition of national progressive organizations who want to see Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin push harder for a public option. 

The answers from the self-identified Independent voters -- who made up about a quarter of the poll respondents -- are particularly interesting.  It's not surprising that Democratic voters want their party to go-it-alone on health care reform if it means getting a public option.  And it's not surprising that the Republicans would rather see a bill that doesn't include a government-run plan.  But the survey also found that two-thirds of Illinois Independent voters apparently want the Democrats to put the public option ahead of bipartisanship.  Moreover, 61 percent of Independent respondents oppose the watered-down health care bill passed by the Senate late last year.

Below are some of the results (margin of error: +/- 4%): 

QUESTION: Do you favor or oppose the health care reform bill passed in December by the U.S. Senate?

All: 37% favor, 53% oppose, 10% not sure
Democrats: 62% favor, 25% oppose, 13% not sure
Republicans: 7% favor, 88% oppose, 5% not sure
Independents: 28% favor, 61% oppose, 11% not sure

QUESTION: Would you favor or oppose the national government offering everyone the choice of buying into a government administered health insurance plan -- something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get -- that would compete with private health insurance plans?

All: 68% favor, 26% oppose, 6% not sure
Democrats: 90% favor, 6% oppose, 4% not sure
Republicans: 35% favor, 60% oppose, 5% not sure
Independents: 69% favor, 22% oppose, 9% not sure

It should be noted that the above question describes a much broader public option than the one passed by House Democrats last fall.  Under that bill, the government-run plan would not have been available to "everyone," but rather those who qualify for the so-called health insurance "exchanges" -- i.e. individual consumers and small business employees.

QUESTION: What would make you more likely to vote for Democrats in the 2010 elections: If they pass health care reform that includes a public health insurance option but gets zero Republican votes OR if they pass health care reform without a public option but with some Republican votes?

All: 61% public option, 30% GOP votes, 9% not sure
Democrats: 88% public option, 5% GOP votes, 7% not sure
Republicans: 13% public option, 74% GOP votes, 13% not sure
Independents: 68% public option, 25% GOP votes, 7% not sure

QUESTION: Several months ago, Senator Dick Durbin endorsed creating a public health insurance option that competes head-to-head with private insurance. Recently, he has not spoken much about it. Do you think Durbin should fight harder for the public option?

All: 39% yes, 8% no, 53% not sure
Democrats: 59% yes, 5% no, 36% not sure
Republicans: 6% yes, 14% no, 80% not sure
Independents: 42% yes, 7% no, 51% not sure

Read additional questions and crosstabs here.